Post by queenofthehours on Nov 21, 2016 19:53:21 GMT
Part three -
After the show (and after a selfie with the audience) the band went out into the foyer to sign autographs. The merchandise stall was really something to behold for a "lowly" tribute act, the array of goodies far exceeded ELO's offering on tour. There were CDs, many choices of t-shirts in quality designs that any real Wilbury would envy, pens, cute teddies (WilBearys) in knitted jumpers with badges on, magnets... all for very reasonable prices (i.e. around £5). There was also the opportunity to win a signed guitar in a raffle which had been drawn during the second half of the show. I bought what was the programme, called "The Wilbury Times", which had space for autographs at the back. Everyone was lovely and they had time for everybody. Jeff was especially lovely and, after he signed my autograph and was chatting, even did the little thumbs up gesture that the real one does! If I hadn’t kept my composure I might have had a “Jeff-episode” and done something that wasn't graceful because I really wanted to believe the band were real. However, with the lack of security around I'm sure you could shake any of the Wilburys' hands unlike the chance of doing so with the real ones!
The most memorable parts of the concert for me were the epic rendition or 'Tweeter', the spot on drum sound, the lush melodies and the backing vocals, "Jeff's" perfect guitar impression and the unforgettable version of 'Runnin' down a Dream'. Only the size of the venue prevented me from thinking the group were a “true” band.
Just as I have no shame in admitting I used to dislike ELO before I understood them, I have no shame to admit I thought tributes were pointless. This concert has changed my understanding as much as seeing the MBS doc changed my understanding of Jeff. Tribute bands have a special place. For us, as Wilbury/ELO fans, the place this band fills I feel is twofold –
- You will get to hear music you love and enjoy played live, perhaps for the first and only time. And by people who are as much fans as yourself.
- You see a fantasy. The band never toured…until now. It’s a dream come true. Anything can happen. It’s make-believe. And the more you want to believe, the more you WILL believe. With no real world band obligations you can see and hear extraordinary things. You get to see Bob Dylan sing back up to ‘Pretty Woman’, see Jeff Lynne sing with Roy Orbison, hear Tom Petty play 'My Sweet Lord' with George, and you even get a chance to get close to your heroes - well, they might not be real but you'd never get much of a chance to chat to the real guys would you?
The real George Harrison once said of a Wilburys tour -
“That would be something I'd like to experience. I've always played around in my own mind what a Wilburys tour could be. Would each person do a solo set and then do Wilburys at the end, or would we all go right on from beginning to end and make everything Wilburys? It's an intriguing thought. We could have a great band up there and the four of us could play acoustic if we wanted to. We could all sing "Blowin' in the Wind" and Bob could sing "Something". Or we could just sing our individual songs and make them Wilbury tunes, as if we'd recorded them that way. Whatever it was, we could do it."
I think George would be pleased with what the Traveling Wilburys tribute band are doing.
but it is a bit of a mouthful. I can't bring myself to call him 'Trev'.
, but we're OK. 
Apparently it's quite hard to see them with the naked eye, you need to be looking through a camera or other type of lens?